Harder Than It Seems
by Kai-Nscara
Summary: Summary: season 7 The gang end up in a fight with some new demons in town and the next morning Spike wakes up in Willow’s body having somehow switched but Willow herself is nowhere to be found...


**Author's notes:** Hey all, this is a fan fic of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' that takes place in the seventh season. It is an A/U or alternate Universe where Giles and potentials have not come yet, The First and it's minions have not taken Spike yet, But the Scooby gang know it's the first's trigger that makes Spike go kill people despite soul and chip and it has been a while since that has the trigger has been set off, they still don't know what it is. If this is confusing please let me know.

Hey I revised this a bit so I hope it's better, if not let me know. And I'm sorry I haven't really updated much. I have been extremely busy with school and everything and now I have finals but it will be over soon and I will get the next chapters up, I will! Have to love the summer. While I was trying to revise this I accidently erased my reviews! I am so sorry, I really didn't mean to, but thanks anyway to those seven people!

**Summary**: season 7 The gang end up in a fight with some new demons in town and the next morning Spike wakes up in Willow's body having somehow switched but Willow herself is nowhere to be found...

**Please review , I love them and they feed my muse. Plus I love to hear what people think.**

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story line.

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**Harder Than it Seems**

**Chapter one**

**Getting out**

"You can't do that Buffy, he's dangerous, remember? He's been killing again!" Xander practically yelled.

"That was The First's trigger, which he doesn't have anymore, he hasn't killed anyone since-"

"How do you know that Buffy? What if he has killed someone else, and we just haven't seen it?"

"Xander, there's nothing wrong with him, and he's going with us whether you like it or not. You don't have to go."

"Oh, I'm going, I'm not going to let dead boy out of my sight."

I rolled my eyes.

They had been going on like this for the past ten minutes all for little ol' me.

It had started out simple enough. I had been chained up in the basement and I just couldn't stand it anymore. I know it's for everyone's safety, and my own, but as far as I know, The First hasn't been messing with my mind of late. I hope.

Anyway, I had to get out of the house, or at least the basement for a little while.

Buffy came down the stairs with a cup O' blood. "Hey Spike," she said. "Hey," I replied grumpily taking the cup out of her hands.

She frowned. "What's Up? Get up on the wrong side of the cot this morning?"

"Nothing...Alright, yeah. I need out of this." I said, raising up my chained wrists for emphasis.

She opened her mouth to say something but I wasn't finished.

"Look, you know I'm for this, I don't want to kill anyone, or the First playing with my mind. I've even chained myself up here, you know that, but come on! There has been nothing for several weeks now. I mean, can't a bloke have a breath of fresh air once in a while?" I said.

Yep, that was my big speech, I wouldn't say I was desperate, but hell was I close, I needed out of that damn basement.

"You don't breathe." She replied, a smirk on her face, she crossed her arms, and I could see the smile in her eyes.

"You know what I mean." I said with a scowl.

"Yeah, ok." She said, and pulled the key out of her pocket.

She took the chains off of me, that smirk was still on her face.

I love the girl, hell, I'd die for her, but she was up to something and I had a feeling I wouldn't like it.

She had had the key in her pocket, she was going to unchain me anyway, and of course I had to say my little speech, to her it probably did sound like I was desperate, and then her little comment.

The little minx.

I smiled inside.

But outside I frowned. "You were going to unchain me anyway." It wasn't a question.

She only smiled.

I glared at her. "Why didn't you stop me?"

"Well I was going to but you just kept talking, besides, didn't want to ruin your big speech." She said smiling.

I knew it.

Xander's going to hear about this one and tease me for weeks. Usually I really don't care. But there are times, soul or no soul, where it is quite tempting to stuff a gag in his mouth, tie him up, and take him to the first vampire nest I can find. Or a troll cave, but I don't know of any troll caves in Sunnydale. Besides, the slayer would be pissed, and I don't think Red or the Nibblet would be too happy either if they found out, which they probably would. I wouldn't let the whelp get killed and I probably wouldn't let anything touch him , I have my morals and a soul, I wouldn't do that but it would scare the piss out of him, which would be hilarious.

I still glared at her and crossed my arms but I couldn't help the faint smile in my eyes at my previous thought. I think she noticed but didn't say anything about it.

"I thought you needed a little time away from the house and, well, chains, so I was thinking patrolling and maybe Bronzing it later. Willow and Dawn's coming too." She said, smiling, trying not to laugh. "And if you do go wonky on us, we got a slayer and a witch who will stop you."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Alright, sounds good." I said slowly. I didn't think it would be that easy.

I took a sip of the cup of blood that I had set down on my little cot.

"Great, we're leaving in a few minutes." She said and with that turned to go upstairs.

"Little minx." I said to myself as she shut the door.

Five minutes later, I was upstairs, and Xander was pissed.

What are you doing up here?" He asked like the snot he is.

I looked down at myself. "Leaning against a wall." I replied sarcastically.

He glared back. "I thought you were supposed to be in chains."

"I was, but I got bored, and Buffy unchained me. And we're going for a litle walk, so bug off." I said cheerfully, just to piss him off.

Another ten minutes later brings us to the present.

I leaned against the wall just outside the open front door. The Nibblet and Willow were sitting on the ground bored out of their minds as was I while Buffy and the whelp argued just inside the door.

I took a cigarette out of my pocket and lit it. By the time those two get done, I'll have finished a few cigs.

The Nibblet got up.

Willow looked up at her, "What are you doing Dawnie?"

"I forgot something, I'll be right back." She said and started walking away, not toward the front door.

"Think your going the wrong way Nibblet," I said, raising an eyebrow.

She turned to look at me like I was insane, but then again I was a little bit.

"I'm not going in that way," She said pointing to the front door where Buffy and the Boy's argument could still be heard, "Not with those two maniacs, I'm going in the back door." She said.

I chuckled and Willow giggled.

"Alright then." I said, and she went behind the house.

Another five minutes later I had gone through my cigarette and searched for another but found out that had been my last one.

Hell.

I didn't want to stay there anymore. Everyone would be mad at me, especially Xander and Buffy, but I had to DO something.

I am usually a very patient man. As a vampire I had done a lot of waiting and stalking my prey, but my patience had run out.

I started walking off.

Willow immediately stood up. "Where are you going?" She said in an unusual commanding voice.

I shrugged. "At this rate those two are going to be at it all night, and I don't want to be here until dawn. You can come with me if you want Red, don't care either way."

She looked back at the still open door, but they couldn't hear us, too busy fighting. She hesitated and then sighed and nodded her head. "I'll come with, but we should leave a note."

I shrugged and leaned against a tree. "Alright then, go ahead, I'll wait a little bit longer." I said crossing my arms again. I could wait a little longer, but I wasn't going to stand here forever.

I wanted a cigarette.

She slipped inside the front door and I wondered if the other two even noticed, a few minutes later she came back out with Dawn behind her and closed the door. "I left a note on the door, they should see it." She said.

"Great, let's go." Dawn said, happy to go somewhere, guess I wasn't the only one who wanted to leave the house for a bit.

We walked around for a bit, went into a gas station and I bought myself a pack of cigs with the little money I had.

After that we headed to the Bronze. But on the way is one of many graveyards. As we passed it, I heard something, and it didn't sound good. I stopped. "I hear something," I said looking at the graveyard. "Vamp?" Willow said.

"Maybe." I replied. Without another word the three of us headed into the graveyard, which was when I smelled a familiar scent.

"Buffy's around somewhere." I said.

Dawn looked at me. "She's going to be so mad, I bet-"

"Quiet, I hear something." I said, there was someone talking. No, several someones, chanting all in a low tone.

Willow and Dawn listened as well. "I hear it too." Willow whispered . "Me three." Dawn said.

I motioned for them to be quiet. They shut up quick, they had done this with Buffy so many times. They nodded, and I motioned for them to follow me and started quietly toward the sounds of chanting.

How many do you think there are? Willow said in my head. I stopped in my tracks and jumped slightly, hadn't been prepared for that. I inwardly scowled myself for jumping a something like that, the big bad jumping at a girl's thoughts, just thinking it was embarrassing.

I glared at her, but replied in the same manner, at least aimed tried to my thoughts at her in an annoyed tone. Can't be certain from here, probably 15 or 20, maybe more. Willow nodded, looking a worried. Dawn nodded to, guess the witch relayed my thoughts to her.

Then Willow smiled. You look a little jumpy, Spike, did I scare you? I glared at her, but was a little surprised at her words, she wasn't usually the sarcastic type. Probably trying to fill Xander's shoes, saying something to ease the oncoming battle.

All we had for weapons was a stake Dawn brought, the thing she had wanted to go back in the house to get, and also her purse, a fallen branch Willow had picked up, her spells if she chose to use them and my fists. Not much against 20 or so things that stood just out of sight from a monsilum and trees and tombstones. I started to start toward the noise again, bet they were trying to make somethin' rise or something like that and I doubted we had time to find the slayer, even though I knew she was in the neighborhood because I could smell her.

I barely took a step before I heard an unwelcoming sound.

"Spike!"

"Willow, Dawn, why didn't you wait for us! We were about to come out!" Buffy said, coming toward us, Xander right behind her, glaring.

I didn't really care what Xander had to say, but Buffy was another matter. I betrayed her trust in a way and left just when she was telling Xander I was an alright bloke.

Willow interrupted them with a finger to her mouth and her other hand pointing drastically toward where the chanting had been coming from.

They closed their mouths, but were both all glares and shooting daggers at the three of us, especially me.

Buffy cocked her head, trying to see if she could hear or possibly sense anything with her slayer abilities. I pointed toward where the chanting was coming from, it was still a ways off, and in a low tone, but it was beginning to get louder.

She nodded and so did Xander. It wasn't difficult to tell there was quite a few of... whatever it was.

Still radiating anger like a Kirow demon, (big thing, red, horns, infects people with anger and makes the anger grow till something dies,) Buffy and Xander and the rest of us moved silently toward the chanting like a wolf pack.

As we came closer the chanting grew louder, and not just cause we were coming closer, their chant was coming to a close. Then we saw them. Twenty, maybe thirty people in blood-red-hooded-robes standing in a large circle chanting in a language I've never heard before. They were about normal height, for a human anyway, a little bigger around, and can't miss the horns sticking out of the hoods. Some were curly, some were straight, some looked like a deer's antlers, but all were big.

I couldn't see pass them to what was in the middle of the circle, but I had a bad feeling I wasn't going to like it.

We looked at each other. Apparently they hadn't seen us yet, didn't care, or really did not want to mess the spell up.

We used this to our advantage. We attacked.

Lucky for us, Buffy had brought a sword, and Xander a stake, which was probably meant for me.

We rushed them. I hit the first one who went down immediately, but came back up almost as fast.

After that, they were frantic. They didn't know what to do it seemed.

It was like that one time Dru and I let the tiger the circus hadn't quite tamed yet out of it's cage, and everyone ran around screaming, especially since we had already killed half of the people at the circus. At the time it was bloody hilarious.

One of them yelled out in that strange language to the others. I didn't understand it, but I guessed it was something like "Stop gallanting around like cowards you idiots Kill them, the ceremony must be continued!" Or something along those lines, can't be sure but I must have guessed right because they stopped running around like little panicked teenage girls and started running at us, all except for five, who continued to chant, despite the chaos that was erupting around them.

All of a sudden they knew what they were doing, they were trying to separate us, and succeeding. I saw Xander and Dawn backing away from six robed figures, trying to get more ground, and Buffy was doing the same. Willow was still fairly close to me, but we were all getting further and further apart, and five people against thirty, well, chances were not in our favor.

One swiped at my chest, I jumped back but it's clawed fingers bit through my black shirt and into my pale skin, leaving five three inch but not terribly deep , gashes across my chest.

I glanced down and then back up at the demon.

"Hey! I liked this shirt!" I said angrily. I only have two shirts! I hit him as hard as I could in the face and he went sprawling backwards into several of his friends and I caught a glimpse of his face beneath the hood before it fell back over his face. Bright blue skin with black symbols painted on 'em and a dark brown-reddish nose that looked like something out of 'Phantom of the Opera'. I punched him again with fresh anger. Why did he have to ruin my shirt? Never mind the blood running down my shirt, it stung but it would heal, and shirts cost more to replace.

I reached up and grabbed his head and twisted until I heard the satisfactory crack and let the dead body fall to the ground.

I took hits and punches and got a bloody nose and gave out a few as well. I took out several of the cloaked demons and then they started to play dirty. I didn't have a weapon besides my own to fists and fangs, but they had their claws, not much strength, which I was grateful for, but they also had those horns.

One bowed his head and rushed me. I dodged him and grabbed him by the horns as he ran past and used his momentum to throw him into some of his friends. Another got the idea and ran at me again, aiming his horns at my chest. I jumped but he caught me on my way up and I fell down, hitting the ground hard, luckily missing the horns. I heard and felt one my ribs break.

Graceful landing Spike.

I jumped up despite the pain. I liked pain, not quite like this, but I like a little.

It wakes you up.

I punched a demon, knocking him to the ground. He didn't get back up.

"Buffy!" Dawn yelled in a shrill voice.

She was surrounded by the cloaked demons, maybe three or four. I could see a few on the ground, dead, and I felt a little proud.

I couldn't see Xander, he must have been elsewhere fighting the demons. I could see five fresh bright red scratches on her left arm but it didn't look very deep and it was nothing to really worry about, it would heal up in no time, but she was wearing down, breathing hard, and that probably wasn't the only scratch or bruise that she had.

Buffy spared her a glance. "I'm...coming! Hold on Dawn!" She yelled and was hit in the face for her effort. I saw her kick one in the stomach and jumped over it, trying to get to Dawn but they surrounded her again immediately.

"I'll be there in a sec Little Bit!" I called out, but she didn't answer, to busy trying to take down her opponents.

She reminded me a lot like her sister. I tried beating my way to her but every time I tried more and more demons blocked my way.

I looked around. The closest person to me was Willow, about 7 feet away.

"Red!" I shouted as a fireball shot from her hands, setting the nearest two demons on fire.

Nice.

She looked at me and then threw another fireball. I could faintly hear her muttering something in Latin.

"A little busy Spike." She said, another fireball appearing in her hands. "Anyway you can get to Dawn?" I shouted as I ducked a punch.

She glanced over her shoulder at something I couldn't see, a worried expression on her face. "Maybe, I think so but..." Another fireball, those things were a lot more effective than anything I could do without a weapon.

"Get to the ones' still chanting!" She said.

There was some still chanting?

I looked over to where they had been chanting earlier and sure enough, the same five stood in a large circle.

And then I saw it. In the middle of their circle was a big emerald green glowing orb. What was that supposed to be? I felt something drawing me closer but looked away when I heard one of us cry out.

It was Xander. It was always the whelp. I couldn't see him, or Buffy or Dawn, they were somewhere in the graveyard out of sight.

Willow started chanting something in Latin that I recognized as a protection spell. Hey, I know some magic, and I learned Latin as a child in school. Some things just stick with you, even if you are dead.

The spell was supposed to protect humans, but wouldn't help vampires or the person who cast it, but it would help the other three. It wasn't a magical force field or anything but it helped. I knew that particular spell because I remember a witch using it for protection against me. It works pretty well, too bad for the witch though.

I shuddered inside, remembering with my soul what I did to her. It gave my a new anger and made me what to kill these things even more.

With another one down, I called out. "Buffy! Everyone alright?"

No answer.

"Buffy!"

"She's still here!" I heard Dawn call out. "And so am I, thanks for asking. Xander's hurt though, but it's getting better thanks to Willow's spell!"

"Good, You can hold your own?"

"I can for now!"

I slayed the last remaining four around me and then I saw Willow, taking out one of the robed figures still chanting.

Aww, too bad they had no protection, and couldn't really fight with the chanting very well. Too bad, so sad, so good for me.

The other four chanted louder and a magical force field went up around them. This will be fun.

Spike, get them when their force fields go down! Willow said, sending me her thoughts.

She started chanting her own little spell and I saw the force fields waver for a second. I grinned and charged one, running full speed at one and then bounced off the force field that was still there.

I flew through the air hitting a tree 10 feet away from the demon.

You idiot, take them down after Red brings their force fields down.

I saw Willow roll her eyes as she chanted. I got up, a little dazed and their force fields flickered and disappeared.

I glanced to Red, who was still chanting and she motioned me forward with her hands. I reached up and broke a branch off of the tree. Finally, a weapon, time to test it out.

I charged again and this time brought down the demon, knocking the air out of him. He stopped chanting and started fighting back. He managed to punch me in the jaw, knocking my head back and I returned with a tree branch to the heart, or what I thought where the heart would be. He gave me a surprised look and then stopped movement altogether. Too bad these things don't just go poof.

I stood up and rubbed my jaw. Ow, that will leave a mark.

I looked up to see the remaining demons still chanting.

Willow stood about seven feet away from the orb, staring at it.

I killed another of the demons in short order and Willow took a step toward the orb.

"Red! Get away from that thing!" I said, glancing at it.

It was difficult to tear my gaze away from the thing but I had to get the other two demons.

It didn't take long and I turned seeing Willow directly in front of the orb. I didn't know what it was but it wasn't good. She seemed mesmerized by the thing.

"Willow! Get away from it! Now! I mean it!" but she ignored me, if she had even heard and slowly reached toward it.

I ran toward Willow and just out of the corner of my eye I saw Buffy, Dawn and Xander. Xander held his right arm close to him and Dawn was limping and Buffy was moving slower than usual.

The orb glowed brighter, getting bigger. Why was it still there? No one was chanting and most of the demons that were making this thing, whatever it was, was dead. It grew brighter and brighter, like it was going to explode.

"Willow!" I ran up to her and grabbed her arm just as she reached out with her other arm and touched it, her hand going inside the orb.

A green light exploded around the two of us to her touch. I thought I heard someone shouting but I couldn't see who it was.

And then... and then...

darkness.

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I woke up, my entire body ached. I groaned, it sounded strange, but I thought nothing of it.

I was so tired and felt like I had been hit by a mag truck.

My memories of the other night came flooding back to me. I rubbed my eyes which were still closed.

I put my hand down to my side and realized where I was, I was in a soft bed, and not the hard ground I expected.

I opened my eyes.

I noticed immediately that my eyesight was dim and blurry.

I looked around the room, it was Willow's room.

Why was I in here? Where was Willow? Was she alright? Was Buffy and the others alright? What happened? How long have I been unconscious?

I knew the others had been hurt, but it didn't look that bad. It must have been serious for them to put me in Willow's bed, especially since it was Willow who put her hand in the glowy orb thingy, I wonder what happened, was Red alright?

I got up out of the bed and saw Willow.

"Willow? You alright Red?"

I asked but she just stood there. I stepped forward and she mimicked me, but didn't actually move.

Oh you idiot, it's a bleedin mirror. I turned away from the full length mirror but no one was there.

"What?" What was going on?

Where was Willow? She was just there and I don't have a reflection so- I looked down at myself. I was wearing the same clothes Willow was wearing in her reflection and my chest was a little bigger than I remembered.

Was this some sort of sick joke?

I looked at the mirror again, going toward it.

Willow's reflection moved as I did and I placed one hand on the mirror. It was Willow's hand.

I saw Willow's face reflect the horror I felt and I felt my face, not believing this to be real.

I felt Willow's cheeks and her lips and her cute little nose and chin. I felt long hair and brought it to my face.

Long red hair.

I watched myself in the mirror, seeing the horror and dread reflected there.. This can't be real, no way. It's a dream, it has to be!

"It's a dream, it's a bloody dream..." I said in a voice that was not my own. I pinched myself.

"Ow!" I yelled.

Not a dream. This wasn't a dream.

This body wasn't a dream, her voice wasn't a dream.

I was Willow. I, William the Bloody, Spike, was in the body of a red-headed witch.

I stared at myself in the mirror.

My face turned to impassive.

Then I did a very unmanly thing.

I screamed.

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Author's note: So that's my first chapter, don't you just hate cliff-hangers?

If you don't mind, I have a few questions, please read and answer!

1) Was I true to the characters?

2) Was it good having it all in Spike's point of view, or should it be in third person point of view?

3) Is this a good plot idea?

4) Was it boring? Exciting? Good? Bad? What? What would make it better?

I am open to any suggestions/ideas,


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